It All Works Out, In The End
by DivingIntoAParadox
Summary: Harry returns to Hogwarts, Hermione goes under an apprenticeship with Snape. What happens when a series of events unfold that give Harry and Hermione a new outlook on their futures. (bad description - romance/action/adventure)
1. Introduction

_A/N: So, I have two other stories that are currently on HIATUS... I'm nt sure when I'll get back to them as this is my new project, and my inspiration for the other two has dwindled as of late. This is my first H/Hr fic, I hope I can do it justice... please R&R and let me now if you have any adice/critiques/suggestions_.

Introduction:

It had been a month since the defeat of Voldemort, many had been lost and Hogwarts was nearly destroyed completely. A reconstruction crew had been formed shortly after the war had ended. Harry and Hermione were staying at the Burrow with the Weasley's as they had no other place to go. Hermione went to Australia to try to repair her parents' memories, but to no avail. When she returned to the burrow she looked as if she was even more broken than she was when she left, which no one believed to be possible.

They all had a lot of healing to do, after the death of Fred, Remus, Tonks, Moody and many others, they all felt as if they were shells of who they were before the destruction of the world as they'd known it. The war was over, they were victorious, but they couldn't bring themselved to feel any sort of pride or joy... all they felt was pain and anguish.

"Hermione?" Harry said softly, knocking on the door of the room that she shared with Ginny.

"Yes?"

"You know that you can't keep yourself locked in here forever... you're going to have to come out eventually." He walked over slowly, pausing only for a moment before he took a seat next to her on the bed.

"I know that, Harry, I just... how can I go and live my life when so many people lost theirs?"

"Don't you see? It's because so many people lost their lives that we should live ours! They gave their lives to the cause, a cause that they believed in, a cause which was dedicated to letting us have a life! You're doing them all a great injustice by sitting here and wallowing in grief!" Harry leaned away the slightest bit, expecting her to blow up on him. She didn't, she just looked at him and started crying.

"You're right! How can I be so selfish?" she said through her choked sobs, she leaned into Harry's chest and cried for what seemed like ages. Harry put his arm around her and pulled her close to him, trying to comfort her the best that he could. He rubbed her back softly and kissed the top of her head, telling her that everything was going to be okay.

"Hermione, you're not selfish, you are amazing and never for one second should you think you're not. You're going to do them proud," she know that he was talking about her parents, "without you, this war would have been lost. I couldn't have done any of this without you and you need to realize that." He smiled at her, kissing her on the forehead once more.

"Thank you, Harry..." she didn't move her head from his chest, she just held on to him very tightly and fell asleep.

Noticing that she'd fallen asleep, Harry gently moved her off of his chest and lied her down on her bed, pulling the covers over her and making sure her head was rested safely on the pillow. He gave her one last kiss on the head and made his way out of the room, looking back only once to smie at his sleeping friends peaceful face/

"So, Harry, have you decided what you're going to do now that the war is over? I heard Kingsley is letting those who fought the war become auror's without taking their NEWTS." Molly said over breakfast the next morning.

"I'm not actually sure yet, I spent nearly my entire life worrying about Voldemort, it's kind of hard to think about a life without being in constant danger." Harry smiled softly.

"What about you, Hermione?"

"Oh... I received a letter from McGonnagall the other day, she offered me an apprenticeship under Snape." Hermione said non-chalantly.

"Oh dear! That's wonderful!" Molly exclamed, while Ron looked at her dumbfounded.

"You never told me about that 'Mione, when did you get the letter?" Ron said, trying not to sound too hurt about the fact that his girlfriend witheld such important information from him.

"Oh, about 4 or so days ago... I guess I just wasn't sure whether or not I was going to follow through with it..." She stared down into her barely eaten breakfast.

"Well, dear, you have to! It's a wonderful opportunity, and I know you would regret it if you didn't go through with it, even if it is under Snape." Molly said.

"I know, I am going to go through with it, I actually just decided this morning. I was going to tell you after breakfast," she said to Ron before pushing her food around a little more, taking very few bites.

"So, back to Hogwarts with you then?" Harry said as he approached Hermione on the front steps.

"I suppose so," she paused for a moment, "it's not going to be the same without you and Ron around."

"Well, actually, I decided to go back and finish my 7th year... I figured it would give me time to figure out what I actually want to do with my life." Harry gave a small chuckle.

"Oh, Harry, that's wonderful!" She gave him an awkward, but excited hug. "You'll be able to spend more time with Ginny then too!" She smiled at him, but it didn't seem to reach her eyes.

"Yeah, right." He smiled, still one arm around her.

_A/N: Okay, I know it's probably not the best of introductions, but I promise it's going to be better. I am going to really try to give my readers a well rounded story, I don't want to move things to fast, I want them to fall realistically into place. Please R&R and let me know what you think, I want to continue with this story, but I get extra motivated when I know I have an audience._


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

"I wish you would have given me a little more of a head's up... y'know, about the apprenticeship." Ron said to Hermione as they were sitting on the couch together. Hermione's legs lying across Ron's lap as she read a book and he played with a yo-yo he'd found in Hermione's chess.

"I'm sorry, Ron, I've been a little overwhelmed lately... I wasn't even sure if I was going to do it or not." She looked up from her book to give him a warm smile, trying to reassure him.

"I know, but I thought that since we're a couple we're supposed to tell each other everything... I'm supposed to be the one you talk to now, not _Harry._"

"You are, Ron, I am sorry I didn't come to you, I just haven't been in a good place lately. I haven't talked to Harry either."

"We're all in a bad place, Hermione, I understand that... I'm not holding against you, I just saw you and Harry in the room yesterday... I saw him holding you while you cried. I should have been holding you, not him." By this time Hermione removed her legs from his lap and was now sitting on her knees, scooting herself closer to him.

"Ron, Harry came and checked on me, which is what best friends do for each other. I didn't see you coming to check on me after I'd locked myself away for days on end. Harry was there for me, Ron, it goes both ways you know. I don't have to be the one that comes to you, you could come to me also!" Hermione got up off the couch and walked briskly up the stairs to her room.

"Hermione! I'm sorry, that's not what I was meaning!" Ron called out, but a little too late.

"What'd ya do now mate?" George asked, plopping next to Ron in the spot that Hermione had been occupying moments before.

"I don't know, one second everything was find and then I said something about Harry and she flipped on me..."

"Why do I have a feeling there was more to it than that? You do have a bit of a tendency to put your foot in your mouth." George joked.

"Well, I'd just said that I think that she should come to me rather than Harry when she's having problems..."

"Harry is her bestfriend, Ron, you can't very well get in the middle of the friendship that the two of them have. They're close, and if you try to get in the middle of that you're only going to get yourself pushed father away."

"S'pose you're right..." Ron said, dejectedly... he didn't want to admit it, but he was jealous of Harry and Hermione's relationship, he knew that they were a better match than he and Hermione were, but he was too selfish to let himself accept that.

"Oh, Harry, I am so excited that you're going to be going to Hogwarts with me! We're going to be in the same year!" Ginny exclaimed as she excitedly hurried around her room, getting all of her robes packed into her suitcase as the term was going to be starting in two days.

"I know, it is rather exciting." Harry said, unamused. For some reason he was happier about being around Hermione more than he was about being around Ginny.

"Is something wrong, Harry?" Ginny asked, pausing in her motions to face him.

"Oh, no, nothing's wrong, I was just thinking."

"Oh? About what?" She smiled, sitting on his lap and throwing one arm around his shoulder.

"About being able to spend so much time with you this year, I can't wait," he lied, smiling anyway and giving her a peck on the cheek before moving her off his lap and making his way to the door.

"Where are you going?" She asked, dissappointedly.

"To pack my clothes before Hermione bites my head off." He joked before shutting the door behind him, leaving a dejected Ginny to sit on her bed. She knew, just like her brother did, that Harry and Hermione had something between them that they would never be able to live up to.

_A/N: I know this is a short chapter, don't worry, they're not all going to be like this. I'm just trying to od my best and not rush the story too much. I will be sure to make it up to you in the chapter to come. Please Read&Review, thank you! _


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